Artificial leather and composition used in the manufacture thereof.



I TATES l;

] omen LEON LILI ENEELD, or VIE NA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

' "ARTIFICIAL LEATEER AND comrosirron USED IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Dr. LEON LILIENFELD, asubject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at No. 1 Zeltgasse,Vienna, VIII, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Artificial Leather and Composition Used in theManufacture Thereof, of which the following is a specification. f

Oils and fats and their 'derivatives and more especially castor oil,have chiefly been I used as agents for imparting softness'and elasticityin the manufacture of artificial leather from colloided cellulose estermasses. The use of those agents has the following disadvantages Oils andfats and more especially castor' oil, impart to the imitation leather anunpleasant smell which increases with the lapse of time according as theoils and fats, and more especially castor oil, becomerancid Artificialleather made from colloided cellulose ester masses with the help of oilsand fats, and more especially castor oil, is of limited durability. viintime the covering layers of such artificial leather usually becomestiff, brittle and friable.

The resistance of such leather to heat is also small the leatherbecoming stiff and brittle after even a short time.

The softening action of oils and fats, and more especially castor'oil,and their derivatives is limited. The use of a larger quantity of suchagents has the effect of diminishing the adhesion of the composition toits foundation. In other words, the layers peel off. Since oils and fatshave no solvent action upon nitro-cellulose or celluloid the manufactureof such artificial leather requires considerable quantities of volatileand expensive solvents.

The applicant has now discovered that by 7 using phenol esters, and inparticularthose which remain liquid at 0 Centi ade whollyor partiallyinstead of oils an fats,

- and more especially castor oil, all the above stated drawbacksareremedied ,and new ad-I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917. Application filed December 11, 1912. Serial No.736,222.

a composition of matter containing a col-- of the'known masses. N owartificial leather made with the help of a composition of matteraccording to the present invention and containing a colloided celluloseester mass and said phenol esters is perfectly free from smell, does notbecome stifl or brittle in storage, and can withstand perfectlytemperstifi' or brittle.

A further advantage is that the said phenol esters have a solvent actionupon nitro-cellulose and thus allow of effecting a saving in thequantities of volatile solvents used.

atures of 100 degrees 0. Without becoming Another important advantage isthat layers consisting of nitro-cellulose or celluloid and the saidphenol'esters have a. good adhesion to viscose, and especially toviscose mixed with products described in the specific ation of PatentNo. 1037158-for example the condensation products ofChinese wood oilwith amino aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives, or hydroxyl derivatives ofthese, or rubber, gutta percha, balata, resins and similar materials;and further that layers of viscose mixed with said products adherelikewise very well to layers consisting of nitrocellulose or celluloidand the said phenol esters.

Artificial leather 'and imitation wax cloth composed of layers: composedof colloided cellulose ester mass, for example, nitrocellulose colloidedwith camphor or other colloiding agent and phenol esters which remainliquid at 0 (3.; alternating with layers consisting of'mixtures of.viscose and products obtained by heating aromatic am'inswith Chinesdwoodoil and a condensing agent, are products valuable in the art,.andaredis-' tinguished by their very great sdftness, pliability and gloss, andalso cheapness.

In carrying out the manufacture ofpthe new composition, a colloidedcellulose ester mass such asnitro-ce1lulose or in general any cellulose.ester colloided with camphor or able solvent, andtothe solution thereisother colloiding agent is dissolved in a suit i added a phenol esterwhich remains liquid at 0 C, Ortho-tricre'sylphosphate has been foundespecially suitable for this purpose. This solution, may be also mixedwith other suitable binding agents (for instance, acetylcellulose,formyl-cellulose, caoutchouc, guttapercha, drying oils and the like) orwith filling substances for giving bulk (for instance, ground leather,powdered cork, asbestos, precipitated chalk, china-clay, etc.,) or withpigments or coloring matters or with other softening agents (such asoils, fats, especially castor oil, glycerin, sugar, soaps and the like).The composition of matter thus obtained is applied to suitablefoundation materials such as textile fabrics, paper, cotton or paperfleece, or the like, by hand or by means of suitable machinery, or itmay be rolled thereon. The application of the composition may beeflected in one or more coats or'layers. If the composition is appliedin several layers the percentage either of nitro-cellulose or celluloidor of phenoh esters which remain liquid at 0 C. or of both may'vary inany of the several layers.

Since the colloided cellulose ester mass, for example, nitrocellulosecolloided with camphor or other colloiding agent when only mixed withthe said phenol esters and well kneaded yield compositionsv or pastescapable of being applied or rolled on, there is no need to use volatilesolvents, or if such are used the .quantity employed may be "very small.7

The following are examples of the new composition of matter and the sameare used in the manufacture of artificial leather;

Composition No. 1.

60 parts by weight of alcohol,

C i L t powdered celluloid, 1O ortho-tricresylphosphate.

' 60 parts by weight Composition No. 2.

of alcohol,

30 acetone, 10 powderedcelluloid.

5 ortho-tricresylphosphate. Composition No. 3. I

of glacial acetic acid,

60 alcohol,

12 powdered celluloid,

. ortho-tricre'sylphosphate.

Compotition No. 60 parts by weight of alcohol,

t acetone,- 10' I powdered celluloid,

it I t ti creosotephosphate.

\ Composition No.

' Composition N0. 7;

1000 parts by weight of a substance produced 'by heating 100 parts byweight of Chinese wood oil with 200 parts by weight of ortho-toluidinand 11 parts by weight of zinc chlorid, washing in water and drying,are, while being stirred and kneaded together, heated to water bathtemperature, and then 550 parts by weight of soda-Turkey-red-oil ofaboutAO to 55 per cent. of dry residue and 6 to 10 per cent. of ash areadded in several doses. Then 60 parts by weight of a soda solution of 50Be.- are added in several doses, and finally the mass is diluted bykneading with 800 parts by weight of a of a raw viscose containing 13per cent. of cellulose.

-Uomposition No. 9.

100 parts by weight of Composition No. 7 are well mixed with 7 5 to 100parts by weight of a raw viscose'containing 13 per cent. of cellulose. 0I i leather No. 1.

Composition No. is mixed with a pigment for example soot, or with apigment lake or the like and applied in one or more layers to a suitabletextile fabric. If several layers are applied, each layer may be satinedor calendered before applying the next layer. The pigment may also bepreviously groundwith the ortho-tricresylphosphate.

Artificial leather No. 2. 1st layer, (bottom preparation) :-CompositionNo. 1.

2nd layer, (consisting of one to six coats) :Composition No. 1 with theaddition of a pigment or coloring matter.

3rd layer, (varnish layer) :-Composition Artificial leather No. .3;Composition No. 4 is mixed with a pig- 'ment (for instance soot or withalake. or the f like) andapplied in one or more coats upon asuitabletextile fabric.

Artificial leather No.4. Composition N0. 5 is mixed with a pigment (forinstance with soot or with a lake or the like) and applied in one ormore layers upon a suitable textile fabric.

ment (for instance with soot or with a lake or the like) and applied inone or more layers upon a suitable textile fabric.

The artificial leathers obtained may be calendered or pressed at thefinish or between the several layers and finally marked with any desiredleather graining or other design. k

The'superior durability of the products obtained by the use of the newcomposition for the manufacture of artificial leather and the like overthose of existing processes 'is shown, for instance, by the followingtests:

Artificial leathers made with the use of the new composition were heatedtogether with samples of artificial leather which had been made exactlyin the same manner but with the difference that pure castor oil was usedinstead of phenol esters. The samples of imitation leather were thenheated with access of air to 100-105 degrees C. with the followingresult Whereas artificial leathersmade with the new composition afterfourteen days (at the end of which period the test was discontinu'ed)showed no alteration whatever, appearance, softness, feel and fastnessto rubbing remaining completely unchanged, the other similar leathersmade with castor oil became hard and brittle after a period of only 17%hours. After 29 hours these leath-. ers broke when pulled, and after 53hours the layer crumbled away altogether when rubbed. What I claim is 1.A permanently soft and flexible composition of matter, viscous atordinary temperature, containing nitrocellulose, a colloiding agenttherefor and a plurality of phenol esters. 3. A composition of matterfor the manufacture of artificial leather and the like,

"containing a colloided cellulose ester mass and a phenol ester whichremains liquid at a'temperature of 0 C. in admixture with a solventcommon to both, substantially as described.

' 4. A composition of matter for the manu-- facture of artificialleather and the like, containing a colloided cellulose ester mass,

0 0. .14. As a new product of manufacturei main liquid at a temperatureof 0 C. in-

admixture with a. solvent common to both,

, substantially as described.

5. A composition of matter, viscous at ordinary temperature, permanentlysoft and flexible, containing 100 parts of nitrocellulose, a colloidingagent therefor, and from 50 to 20O parts of a phenol ester.

6. A composition of matter viscous at ordinary temperature, permanentlysoft and flexible, containing 100 parts of nitrocellulose, a ,colloidingagent therefor, and from 50, to 200 parts of orthotricresyl phosphate.

7 A composition of matter for the manufacture of artificial leather andthe like, containing one hundred parts of nitrocellulose and from fiftyto two hundred parts of a phenol ester'which remains liquid at atemperature of 0 C. in admixture with a solvent common to bothsubstantially as described.

8. A composition of matter for the manufacture of artificial leather andthe like,

containing 100 parts of nitrocellulose and from 50 to 200 parts oforthotricresyl' phosand a phenol ester which remains liquid at atemperature of 0 C. and which acts as a softening agent, in admixturewith further softening agents, binding agents, substances for givingbulk, coloring matters scribed.

11. A product containing a flexible base, carrying thereupon, successivelayers of plastic material, at least one of said layers comprising acolloided cellulose ester mass,

and a phenol ester, liquid at 0 C.

' 12. A product comprising a fabric base,

carrying thereupon successive layers of plastic material, at least oneof said layers comprising nitrocellulose, a colloiding agent thereforand tricresyl phosphate.

13. As a new product, artificial leather comprising a fabric coated witha mixture comprising a colloided cellulose ester mass and a phenol esterwhich remains liquidat artificial leather comprising a fabric coate witha mixture comprising a colloided cellu 110 and suitable solvents,substantially as delose ester mass and a plurality of phenol esterswhich remain liquid at 0 C.

15. An artificial leather comprising a flexible base, and a permanentlyplastic composition coated thereupon, said composition comprisingcelluloid and a phenol ester which is non-Volatile in storage atatmospheric temperature, which composition is stable and free fromcastor oil and similar materials, and which artificial leather em 10hibits at least as great a resistance to scratching and rubbing as doesreal leather. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

DR; LEON LILIENFELD. Witnesses: i

HERMAN WUNDERLIoH, HANS JYRIKA.

